Photo from City Transfer Andersen Construction used a teledipper to excavate the small, tight site for The Emerald condo tower in Seattle.

The coming workforce
challenge: filling 1M jobs
Worker shortages are the consequence of a series of policy, education, demographic and economic factors.
By WENDY NOVAK
ABC of Western Washington

Seattle braces for metal tariff fallout
As tariffs further increase local construction costs, developers will either scale back their investments or turn to alternative designs.
By JULIAN ANDERSON
Rider Levett Bucknall

We’ve got green buildings, how about green communities?
If we networked our buildings and reused resources amongst them, it could lower operating costs for owners and tenants.
By STACY SMEDLEY
Skanska USA

Here’s how a modular hotel stacks up in Seattle
Mortenson says modular can alleviate ever-increasing construction costs, labor shortages and congested jobsites.

By PHIL GREANY
Mortenson

Design-build done right: tips for success
Benefits include improved project quality, as well as time and cost savings.

By BRETT EARNEST
Clark Construction Group

Tight site, deep hole? Bring on the teledipper
Andersen Construction is using a telescoping excavator, common in Europe, for The Emerald condo tower.

By SAM BERNOSKI
Andersen Construction

Equipment sector’s heavy lift: regulations, employees
The industry faces tough regulations and an education-community business disconnect.

By SARAH ROTHENBUHLER
Birch Equipment

2018 ABC EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AWARD WINNERS

Rafn Co. faced many challenges while renovating 12 floors of an occupied Seattle skyscraper for HomeStreet Bank: limited elevator and building access; restricted work hours; hidden building conditions; and out-of-level ceilings and floors. Rafn yesterday won the Eagle of Excellence, the top construction award from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington, for overcoming those and other obstacles on that project. It was the seventh year in a row that Rafn has taken the top honor at the ABC Excellence in Construction Awards. Nine projects won top awards in various categories and five others were given merit awards at a banquet held in Bellevue at Meydenbauer Center. Synergy Construction came in second overall, winning the Pyramid Award for its Twin Lakes Landing low-income housing project in Marysville. The judges this year were John Schaufelberger of the University of Washington, J. Carter Woollen of Woollen|Studio, Bobby Thomsen of CollinsWoerman, Daniel A. Swaab of Mithun, Van Collins of ACEC Washington and Benjamin Minnick of the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.

Eagle of Excellence • Tenant Improvement/Renovation ($4 million-$10 million) HomeStreet Bank corporate offices Rafn Co.

Pyramid Award • Other Construction ($10 million-$25 million) Twin Lakes Landing Synergy Construction

Commercial Construction ($10 million-$25 million) Lillehammer Apartments Redhawk Group

Commercial Construction ($5 million-$10 million) Raceway Heated Storage Donovan Brothers

Commercial Construction (less than $5 million) HomeStreet Bank Tacoma Rafn Co.

Healthcare (less than $10 million) Seattle Recovery Place Donovan Brothers

Multifamily Construction ($25 million-$100 million) The Eddy at Green Lake Village Rafn Co.

Mechanical/Industrial (less than $5 million) Project Frosty design-build Air Systems Engineering

Specialty Construction Commercial (less than $5 million) G2 exterior SKIS Painting

MERIT AWARDS

Industrial ($5 million-$15 million) Commencement Bay Corrugated Donovan Brothers

Infrastructure (up to $100 million) Burien Cold Storage (sitework and MSE wall) Donovan Brothers

Institutional (less than $5 million) New Life Church Kent Donovan Brothers

Tenant Improvement/Renovation (less than $4 million) Moorea Seal Donovan Brothers

Tenant Improvement/Renovation ($4 million-$10 million) Westend interior/exterior renovations Synergy Construction